Some AI assistants can connect to apps you use, such as Gmail, Google Drive and Linear. Available connections and features depend on your assistant, account and permissions.
Here are five ways to put that help to use.
1. Build a business or personal operating system
When I say operating system, I mean an organized file system for your business or personal life. Your folders and documents give everything a home, so you and your AI assistant have something to work from.
For a business, you might have folders for customers, projects, finances and the instructions you use to run things. At home, you could organize household records, family plans and personal projects.
Help me design a simple folder structure for my business and personal life. Ask me what I need to keep track of, then suggest where my files should go and what documents would be useful in each folder.
Start with a few folders and the files you use most. As you work, save useful notes, plans and decisions there. When you give AI access to those files, it can use that information to help with the next task without you having to explain everything again.
2. Get help working through your email
With a supported Gmail connection, you can ask AI to find messages and help you work through them. A long conversation can become a short recap, with the questions or next steps pulled out for review.
Look through my emails from the past week for customer questions that may still need a reply. Show me the messages and summarize what each person needs.
You can then ask for help drafting a response. Review it before sending, especially names, dates and anything you’re promising.
At home, you might use this to find appointment details or catch up on a long email conversation. Access depends on the connection and permissions you grant. Google app connection details
3. Compare options before you decide
AI can help you sort through information when you’re choosing equipment, software or a service.
Give it the options you’re considering and explain what matters to you.
Compare these three options using the information I provide. Show the cost, what’s included and what I’d be giving up with each choice. Point out anything I still need to find out.
This can help with a business purchase or something for your home. Check prices and important details with the seller before making your decision.
4. Give AI access to the files you work from
Connecting Google Drive can let your AI assistant find and use documents you’ve saved there. You can ask questions about a file or use it as the starting point for new work. Google Drive connection overview
For a business, you might keep service descriptions, project notes and instructions together in a folder.
Find my service description in Google Drive and use it to help draft an answer to this customer’s question. Tell me which document you used.
At home, the same idea works for project plans or household instructions.
Keep those documents current. The files remain in Drive, where your assistant can retrieve them when the connection and permissions allow access.
5. Keep track of work in a task app
A task app gives your work a place to live after the conversation ends. With a supported connection to a tool such as Linear, AI can help create tasks, update them and find what’s still unfinished. Linear’s connection guide
Turn this project plan into tasks in Linear. Give each task a clear description and show me the list before creating it.
Later, you could ask:
What’s still open on this project, and what information do you need from me to move it forward?
You can use this for customer projects or personal work, such as preparing for a move. Start with one project and keep the task list small enough that you’ll actually use it.
Start with one connection
I’d begin with the app where you spend the most time looking for information or catching up on work. Try a specific request and check whether the result helped.
Before connecting an account, review what access you’re granting. Check the messages, files and tasks AI uses, and review anything it prepares to send or change. Keep passwords and account numbers out of your requests.